title: HIV/AIDS testing at ports of entry in China.
abstract: In 2007 the Chinese government issued regulations requiring HIV/AIDS testing for Chinese citizens returning at ports of entry if they had resided outside China for 1 year or longer. Three years after publication and partial implementation of the regulations, the Chinese government decided to eliminate compulsory HIV/AIDS testing of returning Chinese. We examine the history of China's HIV/AIDS testing regulations on entry-exit populations, showing how China has gradually altered its policy. As of December 2010, the policy of compulsory HIV/AIDS testing of returning Chinese has been abandoned; however, the regulations still compel HIV/AIDS testing for other groups inside China. Our review sheds new light on the dynamics of regulatory changes in the last 3 years. The Chinese experience that we observed may provide useful insights for policymakers in other parts of the world.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Dejian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Lu-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: R Palmer
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Beasley
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002681:China; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D033161:Government Regulation; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D018580:Mandatory Testing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015995:Prevalence